Hydraulic plastic-extruding machine with automatic cut-off



Sept. 30, 1930. M CLlNTOCK HYDRAULIC PLASTIC EXTRUDING IAGHINB WITHAUTOMATIC CUT-OFF Filed Nov. '7. 192'! 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 30, 1930.w, MQCLINTQCK Er AL 1,777,100

mnmwmc PLASTIC EX'I'RUDING MACHINE \u'rn AUTOIATIC cuiuorr Filed Nov. 7,1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a av a9 a1 Li y MIA-am ma/(51x4 Ban I. Pear-heArr-wearer Patented Sept. 30, 1930 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEVTILLIAM MCCLINTOCK AND FRANK Y. PEARNIL OF LOS ANGEIJES, CALIFORNIA,AS-

SIGNORS TO PACIFIC CLAY PRODUCTS, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORA-TION OF CALIFORNIA HYDRAULIC PLASTIC-EX'IRUDIITG MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIQ-CUT-OFF Application filed November Our present invention being referredto as an hydraulic extruding machine with automatic cut-off, it may beunderstood to be an object of this invention to form,,from clay oranother plastic material, hollow or other cylindrical or prismaticbodies such as ordinary or special tile; and our invention relatesmoreparticularly to (1) means facilitating control of the intermittentadvance of a ram, (2) to the construction of a mud cylinder and feedhopper (3) to a construction, for use with said cylinder, permitting acontinuous feed of clay, or the like, to said cylinder; and (4) to meansrendering the advance of a so-called scale rod, or the like, efiectiveautomatically to discontinue, after a predetermined movement,the advanceof said ram within said cylinder.

Other objects of our invention, including a preferred arrangement ofconnections'between a constantly-operating pump and a supply tank andbetween said pump and the interior of said ram, and including also meanspermitting either a manual or an automatic initiation of each advance ofsaid ram, and including also means favorable to a retardation or to anacceleration ofa movement of said scale rod, or its equivalent, may bebest appreciated from the following description of an illustrativeembodiment of our invention, taken in connection with the appendedclaims and the accompanying drawings, in which 7 Fig. 1 is a somewhatdiagrammatic elevational view, with parts broken away, showing theessentials of an organization embodying our invention.

Fig. 52 is a detail view corresponding to an upper right central portionof Fig. 1, but showing a ram or plunger as sectioned in a median plane.1 i

Fig. 3 is a detail viewshowing one suitable type of manually oscillablevalve, for use in an organization of the general charac terillustratedin Fig. 1. a

Referring to the details of bodiment of our invention chosen forpurposes of illustration, uprights 11 and beams such as are shown at12,12 and 13 being respectively vertical and horizontal elements thatspecific em-' 7, 1927. Serial 1%. 231,557.

Upon the mentioned frame or the floor 19, i

we may install a pump 23 (which may comprise a continuously-drivenrotorwhose efficiency depends upon the manipulation of interior parts bymeans such as a link or valve rod 24lthe details of this pump, which-maybe of the Hole-Shaw type, being of minor importance to our presentinvention); and we show a tank 25 as connected therewith not only by avalved pump-supply pipe 26 (which may contain a check valve V) but by avalved branch 27, communicating with an outlet fitting 28through whichwater or other fluid may be constantly or intermittent 1y forced by saidpump.

An oscillable valve 29 being interposed in the return pipe 27, and beingshiftable by means such as a link orrod 30, both this link and thementioned link 24 may beconnected to a lever 31. This lever 31 is shownas pivoted at 32 and as provided with a handle 33, which maybe capableof effecting either a synchronous or a separate control of the-aotion ofpump 23 and valve. 29. i

For example, a shifting of the lever 31 to a position such as thatillustrated in full lines in Fig. 1, may simultaneously render, the pump28 efiicient and shift an interior valve element of the generalcharacter illustrated at 34,'Fig'. 3, to a closed position, therebyoompelling the pumped water or other liquid to advance through a pipe35, communicating with a so-called fixed or interior ram element 36,toadvance the outer or movable ram element 16, forcing the same into thecylinder 15-, or its equivalent.

We show the mentioned valve element 3 1-- of valve 29 as connected (by ashaft 37, extending through a gland 38) with a lever 39 to which thelink or rod 30 is pivotally connected at 0; we show the interior orfixed ram element 36 as. surrounded by a gland ell, and we also show afixed head 2, by which the inner ram inlet 36 is supported from thehorizontal element 12 of the described main frame, as provided with agland l3,surrounding a nipple by which the pipe communicates with theinterior of said fixed ram element; but the expedients just abovereferred to may be regarded as merely standard practice in theadaptation of n'iachine parts, of the indi "ated general character tohydraulic operation,--in which a socalled accu1nulat n' might obviouslyreplace the described tank.

Similarly, we allege no patentahle nm elty in our use of means such as.restorative counter-weights i l, 44:, shown connected with a flange orlugs 45 upon the ram 16 by means oi flexible tension element errendingover pulleys .l'T,-limit stops or fixed ests 48 be- I ing preferablyprovided beneath the restorative weights l 4%; but we attach consi1lerable importance not only to the smooth cylin' drical form of theexterior of the disclosed movable ram or plunger (as. obviating anyappreciable tendency to lift the clay or other plastic material duringthe rise or retractive movement of said plunger) and we attachimportance also to the provision of a hopper 49, of such capacity, shapeand elevation, relatively to said plunger and said cylinder, thattempered clay, or another plastic material maybe continuously deliveredthereto, (as, by means of a conveyor 50) during both downward and upward(or inward and out and) movements of said plunger,-the withdrawal of thesame to an elevation such as that in which it is illustrated beingci'iective to permit the descent of any accumulation of said plasticmaterial into cylinder 15, in readiness 1" or a repetition of extrudingoperations interrupted by suitable manipulations of the lever 31 or itsequivalent.

We come now to what may be regarded as the most outstanding features ofnovelty in our present invention, these features he ing favored by theemployment of the described hydraulic means of control. Such controlpermits the movable ram or plunger 16 to be promptly stopped,in a mannerwhich is not practicable in case steam or another expansible fluid isemployed in advancing a ram or plunger. A cross read 51. being securedon the lower end of said scale rod 18 and connected with weights 21 bymeans such as flexible tension elements 52,- extending over drums 53upon a shaft 5%, we show a lever 55 pivoted at 56 upon a hracl 57. Thisbracket may be atta lied to a sunsidiary frame 58 which providesbearings 59, 59 for the shaft 54; and we show the lever 55 as connectedby a rod or link 60 with a downward extension or arm 61 of the mentionedlever 31.

A roller or other terminal member 62 may be so positioned and securedupon an arm (52) of the lover as to be engaged by the adjustable tappetor stop arm upon the rod 18, or its equivalent, whenever this rod(forced downward against the tendency of weights 21, by the extrusion ofa formed product upon the receiving plate 17) has descended throughpredetermined dixta obviously dependent upon the adjustment oi stop orits equivalent, in accordance with the preferred length of the extrudedtile or other product; and it will be obvious that, after an inwardmovement of the rod or linl; (it), in the direction indicated by thearrow 6% (a spring 65 being preferably secured upon an extension 66 ofsaid rod or link) to manipulate the valve rod 24; and stop the pumpingof pump 23, a manual or other shifting of the lever 31 (as, a shiftingthereof .t'rom the dotted line position into which it may be drawn byengagement of the tappet 22 with the roller 6 or its equivalent, to theposition in which said lever is shown in full lines) may be relied uponto initiate another advance of the plunger 16, after a formed articlehas been manually or otherwise removed trom the receiving plate 17, orits equivalent,said plate having then been permitted to return to anupper or inner position such that in which it is shown in full lines inFigs. 1 and 2.

It will be obvious that a step-by-step or interrupted advance of theplunger 16 may be e'fiected by merely repeatedly reducing the cliicicncyot the pump 2?) practically to Zero, without opening the valve 29, orits equiva lent; but the return oi the said pl ungcr to its elevated orretracted position. under the action of couuterweights ll or 44, topcrmit the admission of a new charge of clay or other plastic materialfrom the hopper 4-!) through aannular passage 67, or its equivalent; maybe dependent upon an opening of this v: lvc. or its equiwxlent1-as byshitting the lever 31 to an extreme position such as that indicated bythe showing of its handle at 33. Fig. l.

in the otl hand, the cooperating parts may be so proportioned. iidesired, that the appet or stop member 22 is reflective simultaneouslyor sequentially to render the pump $3 inetlicient and to open the valve29 or ill; equivalent.

Vi e show the rod 60 as provided not only with the snap-action spring66, which may be con'iparatively heavy, but also with a socalled safetyspring 68, which may be comparatively light, but nevertheless adequateto restore the arm 63, or its equivalent, from a position such as thatin which it is shown in dotted lines to its full line position; any

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slidably interfitting within the scale rod 18) may be employed toprovide guidance therefor, during the mentioned advances and/orreciprocations; and, in order to control the rate of movement of saidscale rod, especially in 1ts automatic return movements under the actionof the counter-Weights 21, we may employ retarding means such as a brake71, movable by means such as a pedal 7 2, and/or accelerating means suchas hand wheel 7 The latter is shown as connected with a shaft 74-extending through a post 75 and terminating in a bevel gear 76, adaptedto engage a cooperating gear 77 upon the shaft 54,-Which may be held inits intended relationship to the shaft 74- by means such as additionalbrackets or hangers 78 and/or 79.

The general mode of operation of our hydraulic extruding machine havingbeen i 'ully indicatedin connection with the description of therespective partsthereof, (omitting mention 01 various auxiliarydevices'which are immaterial to this invention) we call especialattention to the fact that each shifting of the lever 31 to a positionsuch as that in which it is shown in full lines, in'Fig. 1, may beei'iective, by closing the valve 29 and renderingthe pump 23 efficient,to cause a downward or other advance of the plunger 16, or itsequivalent, the extrusion of the formed product unto the receiving plate17 being effective to produce acorresponding advance of the scale rod 18until, an article of the desired length being then formed, the tappet orstop arm 22 engages the roller 62. This may so shift the lever 81 thatits handle occupies the position 33",-the pump 23 being then renderedinerlicient while the formed article is removed from the receiving plate27 (manually or by any suitable means not shown) and while saidreceiving plate is automatically or otherwise returned to lts po-,

sition of engagement with an apertured forming head at the lower orouter end of they cylinder 15 or its equivalent. A further ad vance ofthe ram or plunger 16 may then be eti'ected by a restoration of thelever31, or its equivalent, to a position such as that in which it isshown in full lines (this restoration being etfec e l either manually,or by automatic means such as a chain or other flexible tension element81, optionally interconnecting the receiving plate 17, or itsequivalent, and the arm 63, or its equivalent) but, atter the plunger 16has been advanced approximately to its limit, a manual or other shiftingof the lever 31 to a position such as that suggested by the showing or"its handle at 31' may be effective not only to render the pump 23inefficient but to open the valve 29 in such a manner as to permit aretraction of saidplunger, under the action of the counter-Weights 44,4:4 or otherrest-orative means; and the plastic material continuously orotherwise fed into the hopper 49, or its equivalent, may thenautomatically refill the cylinder 15, or its equivalent, in readinessfor a repetition of the described operations. V

The provision of means such as the brake 71 (for a retardative effect)and the hand wheel 7 8 (usually employed for an accelerative eiiect, incase of sticking), being standard practice, itwill be understood thatthese features are shown only for the sake of completeness no claimsbeing directed separately to means for control ofthe upward ortreetorative movement ofthe scale rod 18; but it 7 should be notedthatthe actions of the springs 65 and 68 are such as to permit the upward orinward advance of the stop 22 past the roller 62,although the said stopneed never pass said roller, or its equivalent, in case these elementsare suitably shaped and positioned.

I claim as my invention: 7

i 1; In a machine for the formation of plastic products by extrusion:acylinder, for the reception of plastic material, provided with aforming head; a receiving plate reciprocably supported by meanscomprising a scale rod therebelow a ram movable by hydraulic means, insaid cylinder; hydraulic means, comprising a pump, communicating with apipe having a valved branch for imparting movement to said ram; andmeans, comprising a member or members movable with said scale rod, andparts movable thereby, for interrupting the movementdmparting action ofsaid pump, upon the extrusion of an article of predetermined length,saidlast mentioned means comprising means for varying the efficiency of saidpump,

2. In a machine for the formation of plastic products by extrusion: acylinder, for the reception of plastic material, provided with a forminghead; means for expressing said material throughsaid forming head;movable means for receiving a formed product; and means, automaticallyactuated upon the advance of said movable means through a predetermineddistance, for interrupting the action of said expressing means.

3. :In a machine for the formation of plastic products by extrusion: acylinder, for the reception of plastic material, provided with a forminghead means for expressing said material through said forming head;movable means for receiving a formed product; and

means, automatically actuated upon the advance of said movable meansthrough a predetermined distance, for interrupting the ac tion of saidexpressing means,sa-id interrupting means comprising a member mountedon'a rod by which said movable means is the reception of plasticmaterial, provided with a forming head; means for expressing LIA Ill)

said material through said forming head; movable means supported by ascale rod for receiving a formed product; and means, automaticallyactuated upon the advance of said movable means through a predetermineddistance, for interrupting the action of said expressing means,saidexpressing means being hydraulically operated by a power fluid, and saidinterrupting means comprising a member on said scale rod by which saidmovable means is supported, and parts movable thereby to vary the flowof said power fluid.

5. In a machine for the formation of plas tic products by extrusion: acylinder, for the reception of plastic material, provided with a forminghead; a receiving plate movably supported by means comprising a scalerod therebelow; a ram movable, by hydraulic means, in said cylinder;hydraulic means, comprising a pump, for imparting movement to said ram;and means, comprising a member on said scale rod and parts movablethereby, for interrupting the movement-imparting action of said pump,upon the extrusion of an article of predetermined length.

6. In a machine for the formation of plastic products by extrusion: acylinder, for the reception of plastic material, provided with a forminghead; a receiving plate reciprocably supported by means comprising ascale rod therebelow; a ram, movable by hydraulic means, in saidcylinder; hydraulic means, comprising a pump communicating with a pipehaving a valved branch, for imparting movement to said ram; and means,comprising a member movable in accordanc with movements of scale rod andparts movable thereby, for interrupting the movement-imparting action ofsaid pump, upon the extrusion of an article of predetermined length,saidlast mentioned means coinpris ing a connection to the valve in saidvalved branch.

7. An organization of the general character defined in claim 6 in whichsaid interrupting means comprises also a lever, capable of handmanipulation, which is provided with means for varying the efiiciency ofsaid pump.

8. An organization of the general character defined in claim 6 in whichmeans are provided whereby a restorative movement of said scale rod isautomatically eflective to initiate a further advance of said ram.

9. An organization of the general character defined in claim 6 in whichmeans are provided whereby a restorative movement of said scale rod isautomatically effective to initiate a further advance of said ram,subject to control by a hand lever.

10. An organization of the general character defined in claim .6 inwhich said last mentioned means comprise also a hand lever;

and in. which means are provided whereby a restorative movement of saidscale rod is subject to retardation or acceleration by means which areconveniently disposed with reference to said lever.

11. In a machine for the formation of articles by extrusion, a cylinderfor the reception of plastic material provided with a forming head, saidcylinder being of sullicient capacity to hold a charge of materialsufficient for a plurality of the desired articles, means for expressingsaid material through said forming head, movable means for receiving aformed product. and means automatically actuated upon the advance ofsaid movable means through a predetermined distance for interrupting theaction of said expressing means.

12. In a machine for the formation of a rticles by extrusion, a cylinderfor the reception of plastic material provided with a forn'iing head,said cylinder being of a capacity to hold a charge of said materialsullcient for a plurality of the desired articles, means for expressingsaid material through said forming head, movable means for receiving aformed product, and means automatically actuated upon the advance ofsaid movable means through a predetermined distance for interrupting theaction of said expressing means, said interrupting means comprising amember mounted on a red by which said movable means is supported, andparts movable thereby.

13. In a machine for the formation of articles by extrusion, a cylinderfor the reception of plastic material provided with a forming head, aram movable by hydraulic means in said cylinder, movable means forreceiving a formed product, and means automatically actuated upon theadvance of said movable means through a predetermined distance, forinterrupting the action of said expressing means.

1 1. In a machine for the formation of articles by extrusion. a cylinderfor the reception of plastic material provided with a forming head,means for expressing said material through said forming head, saidexpressing means being hydraulically operated by a power fluid, movablemeans for receiv ing a formed product. and means automatically actuatedupon the advance of said mow able means through a predetermined distancefor interrupting the action of said expressing. means.

15. In a machine for the formation of articles by extrusion, thecombination of a cylinder for the reception of plastic material providedwith a forming head, means for expressing material through said forminghead, said expressing means being hydraulically operated, and means forauto matically interrupting the action of said expressing means upon theextrusion of an article of predetermined length.

16. In a machine for the formation of articles by extrusion, thecombination of a cylinder for the reception of plastic material,provided With a forming head, means for expressing said material throughsaid I forming head, and means for automatically interrupting the actionof said expressing means upon the extrusion of an article ofpredetermined length.

17. In a machine for the formation of articles by extrusion, thecombination of a cylinder for the reception of plastic material,provided with a forming head, a ram adapted to operate in said cylinder,hydraulic means for moving said ram including a pump, a tank, pipe meansconnecting said tank with said pump, and ram, and valve) meanspositioned in said pipe means adapted to control the movement of saidram.

18. In a machine for the formation of articles by extrusion, thecombination of a cylinder adapted to receive plastic material, saidcylinder being provided with a forming head, a ram adapted to operate insaid cy1- inder, hydraulic means for moving said ram including a pump, atank, pipe means connecting said pump With. said pipe and ram, valvemeans positioned in said pipe, means adapted to control movement of saidram, and means for automatically operating said valve and interruptingthe action of said ram upon the extrusion of an article of predeterminedlength.

In testimony whereof, We have hereunto set our hands at Los Angeles,California, this 2nd day of November, 1927.

WILLIAM MGCLINTOOK. FRANK Y. PEARNE.

